


Brooklyn kids

by JanaRumpandRCJawnn (JanaRumpandRCClara)



Category: Agent Carter (TV), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/F, Friendship, Gen, Light Angst, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, Pre-Canon, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-22
Updated: 2016-01-22
Packaged: 2018-05-15 14:20:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5788600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JanaRumpandRCClara/pseuds/JanaRumpandRCJawnn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve, Angie and Bucky growing up together.</p><p>Or</p><p>Even though we don't realize, the queer kids end up flocking together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Brooklyn kids

**Author's Note:**

> Jana came to me with the propmpt: What if Angie Steve And Bucky were friends before the war? Obviously I couldn't write something happy if you paid me, but Jana didn't want any major angst, so you got this fic that walks the line.

People talked about them, said the three were good kids.

Angie had always wanted to laugh when she heard her mom telling her siblings they could be more like Steve or Bucky. Her mom had no idea how many times they had gotten into fights, or sneaked into the cinema, or skipped classes to spend the day just hanging around lazily somewhere. Ever since she was six years old and the three became friends over a street fight, "good kids" wasn't the best way to describe them.

The only mother that knew was Sarah Rogers. Sarah Rogers that cleaned their wounds after fights, and cooked them things to take with them when they skipped classes. _“As long as your grades are fine, there’s no harm in having a bit of fun"_ , she'd say, sharing her son's smile.

Sarah Rogers that was dying in her bed.

Angie came by every day to the Rogers’ apartment, bringing things her mom cooked and trying to help out as best as she could. Bucky practically lived there by now, helping with Steve (that was also sick, and Angie could feel the fear in the air that he would catch the same thing as his mom) and with the house. She couldn’t really deal with watching Misses Rogers for a long time, but she forced herself to. She helped the woman to put on make up so she would feel prettier, she helped washing her.

It was sad to watch her wither away.

Especially because Sarah Rogers had been her first love.

All platonic and stuff, she had never even said to the older woman a thing about it. Never told anyone about it. However, she couldn’t stop noticing how beautiful she looked, with that blonde hair and small body. She was also the most amazing person Angie had ever met, so good and so strong.

Angie had been terrified when she imagined herself kissing Misses Rogers. She had been thirteen at the time, almost two whole years ago. Now, watching as her friend’s mother died, she felt an ache in her chest.

“Angie…”

She turned to face Bucky, who was standing on the doorway. He looked tired, and on the verge of tears. “Can you help me in the kitchen for a bit?”

She looked at Missus Rogers, who was fast asleep, before nodding and getting up to follow her friend to the small kitchen. When they arrived there, he opened the window and turned on the radio. Angie frowned and was about to ask what was up when she realized Bucky was tearing up.

“Oh my, Buck. Com' here.” She walked over to him. It was probably overwhelming for him to watch all this happening, Misses Rogers had been like a mom to him since he and Steve where barely more than toddlers.

The dark-haired boy rested his head on her shoulder leaning on her. Angie held him, running her fingers thorugh his hair.

“Stevie was talking about dying last night, Angie. He thinks he’ll die. I can’t lose him, I can’t. It’s going to be terrible enough losing Misses Rogers. I can’t lose him.” He seemed so fragile when he took off his mask of cockiness and charm, she loved that in him. She loved that he was so much more than what people thought.

“Nothing is going to happen to Steve, Buck.” She said, trying to control tears of her own. “We bought the medicine, he’s taking it, he’ll be fine.” Angie moved back, holding his face between her hands. Looking at him like this, she wished she could love him. It would make her life so much easier, and her mom so happy. She couldn’t though, she looked at him and she saw a brother and a friend. Nothing else. “I promise. Now, let’s wipe out those tears and make some coffee. We both look like we could use some.”

He gave her a weak smile before touching her cheek.

“I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“You would be lost.” She joked.

\--

It had been six months since Steve’s mom had died. Seven months since that talk with Bucky in the kitchen.

It was Bucky’s eighteenth birthday celebration, so they were going out. Much to her dismay. Because it wasn’t just the three of them. No, this time they were going on a triple date. Bucky and his current girl, named Ana. Steve and one of Ana’s friends, named Gabriela. And Angie and Gabriela’s brother, a sweet guy named Diego. All set up by Buck, of course. He did things like that every once in a while, trying to get her and Steve to experiment a bit of life. She hadn’t had the guts to tell him that she didn’t fancy guys, not even a little bit. She was terrified how he and Steve would react. Steve was a catholic like most of her family, and Bucky seemed to have never considered this like a possibility.

They were out to a carnival, everything was wonderful as could be and Diego had even won her a teddy bear. It was sweet and he was trying to be nice to her, so she tried to return the sentiment. It was hard, since she couldn’t stop noticing how Steve’s date wasn’t going smoothly. Her friend was awkward around gals, and he wasn’t what the magazines would call attractive (it didn’t matter if she thought he was quite strapping). The girl obviously felt like she had been cheated. Steve tried to win her something in one of the games, but failed miserably. It was getting to the point where Gabriela was walking ahead of Steve and her friend could barely keep up.

Angie looked over at Bucky, who was frowning staring at the scene. He wouldn’t do anything though, not while having a date on his arm, so she decided to do something. Angie glanced at Diego and smiled.

“Excuse me, I gotta go do something that you’ll probably not like, but your sister is being very mean to my friend.” She unhooked their arms and shouted to the girl walking ahead. “Why are you being so mean to Steve? He’s doing his best!”

The girl turned red, both of anger and of embarrassment. Steve was blushing too as he touched her shoulder and muttered that she didn’t have to do this. Angie ignored it. She hated fighting with girls because of boys, but her friend deserved better.

“Well, it’s not my fault if he can’t do anything right! He doesn’t even look like a man.” The girl shouted back and Angie had to use every muscle in her body to keep herself from going there and slapping her.

She was one breath away from swearing all the nasty words she knew when the girl walked past her, grabbing her brother by the arm and walking away pissed. Angie stuck her tongue out, feeling her cheeks burning with anger. Bucky was there next to them, holding Steve’s shoulders.

“I’m sorry, pal. If I had known she was like this, I wouldn’t have set you up. For what it's worth, she was wrong. You look like a man, the finest man I have ever seen.” He was giving that Bucky smile and soon enough Steve was smiling back.

“Thanks, Buck. It’s okay.”

“No it’s not, but now she’s gone, and we can enjoy the rest of the night.”

Angie promptly hooked her arm to Steve’s, trying to make the anger and awkwardness of the moment go away.

“I’ll be your date.”

He smiled to her and agreed.

For the first time in the story of double dates, she actually enjoyed it. Steve was a delight, making witty comments and cheering her when she went to the games and won things for them. Bucky and his date had fun too, it seemed. Ana was nice and actually tried to talk with Angie and Steve, different from the last two girls their friend had dated. Angie even managed to drag Steve to dance at some point of their night, and then made a promise to herself to give him classes afterwards. Steve had potential, he just was so insecure about it.

There was something else she noticed during the night though, something she felt stupid to not have noticed before. The way that Steve’s eyes lingered on Bucky’s lips or ass, how he made an effort to smile and seem happy every time Bucky looked at him. How had she been blind to this even after knowing them for almost ten years? Steve was obviously in love with Bucky.

As they were walking back to her home, just the two of them since Bucky had taken his date back home, she decided this might be the time to talk to Steve about it. Bumping their shoulders, she looked for a way to start.

“Sooo, Stevie…”

“Yeees, Angie?” He replied, with a smile on his lips and teasing in his words as always.

“I wanna ask you something.” She looked around, to make sure they were along in the street. Her heart was racing and she just hoped things would go smoothly and that she wouldn’t screw up one of her dearest friendships.

“I gotta ask you something, please don’t be upset if I’m wrong.”

The blond frowned looking at her.

“What’s the matter?”

“I saw how you looked at Buck.” Fear flashed in his eyes. “And I just wanna know if the impression I had was true. Do you fancy Buck?” She whispered that last sentence just barely loud enough so both of them could hear.

His expression was enough of an answer. He got red all the way to his ears, looked down and stopped walking.

“What will you do if I say yes?” He sounded so insecure and small, his usual bravado gone.

She stopped in front of him, and pulled him into a tight hug.

“I’ll be glad not to be the only one who is like this.”

It took Steve almost a whole minute to understand what she was saying, than he stepped back staring her in the eyes.

“You… like.. girls?” His question was also barely a whisper.

Angie had never felt so relieved and free as she did when she nodded vigorously. Steve hugged her and they laughed while trying to hold back tears. It was so refreshing not to be different alone.

\--

Angie’s life had become so much easier now she and Stevie knew about each other. The first thing they did was start pretending they were dating, which wasn’t that hard for either. It was a matter of going together to the double dates Bucky set up, walking hand in hand and going to places together. Her mother would have obviously preferred if she dated Bucky, but a nice catholic boy like Steve would do. Even if he wanted to be an artist and not something that actually made money. Since no one suspected them, sometimes they could go out at night together, and be themselves.

She had her first real kiss at seventeen, with a woman who sang at one of the clubs they would go. It had been magical. She liked them powerful and foreign. She also liked them shy and with redneck accents. She liked girls.

Steve was much more popular with guys than he was with girls, it turned out. It was almost fun to watch women outside wrinkling their nose to a kid half the men in their favorites spots wanted to bang.

It had, unfortunately, driven them away from Buck a bit. Not a lot, they still spent a lot of time together, and now shared an apartment all three of them. However, there was this rift between them, this huge secret she and Steve kept from him would always set them apart. That not to mention how annoyed she got at Bucky’s obliviousness to Steve’s crush. They would make the perfect couple if Bucky could only see.

There were plenty of signs too, as Steve drawing Bucky as he waited for the right time to go to a date. One had just to look at Steve’s drawings of his friend for like ten seconds to grasp the love. Still, Buck looked at them and saw nothing.

“Angie, Stevie. I’m going to work, promise me you won’t do something stupid while I’m out?”

She looked up from the magazine she was reading, just in time for Bucky to kiss her forehead and then Steve’s.

“How could we? You’re taking all the stupid with you.” Steve replied, not even looking up from his drawing.

Bucky rolled his eyes, smiling widely.

“I promise we won’t burn anything down while you are away.”

“And that’s why I love you, Angie.”

He winked at her as Steve mock protested about how she was “his gal” and Bucky should “keep his charm off her”. Soon enough, Bucky was out the door and she and Steve giggled. They waited in silence until the sound of Bucky walking down the stairs was gone, before getting up.

“We have to get dressed.”

They were supposed to go to a party at their favorite bar, something special to celebrate one of the owners birthday. They got dressed as fast as they could and then left, dripping excitement but quiet as always so the gossiping neighbors wouldn’t hear anything and tell Bucky afterwards. Walking the streets was always a challenge, because people liked to say mean things to them (mostly what they would do to Angie after they got rid of ‘the little boy’ with her) and Steve never backed down from a fight. Today, though, like the stars had aligned themselves for them, they managed to make their way to the bar mostly unnoticed. Aside from one of their neighbors that asked Steve when he was going to ask Angie in marriage, that is, but that was too frequent to be noteworthy.

The bar was the most crowded Angie had ever seen, full of people like them but also people that were completely different. They made their way to the counter and the bartender – a big guy with a beard and already far too much alcohol in his system - hugged them.

“My young fairies. It’s so good to see you’ve managed to come too.”

Steve smiled and gave the guy a peck on the lips, just out of friendship and happiness.

“We wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“Well, the whole world seems to be here so it’s not much of a concern. The usual?”

“You know I shouldn’t drink, but since it’s your birthday I suppose my guardian angel will let me.”

Angie just laughed at the words and gave her friend a friendly punch on the shoulder.

“Just make sure Bucky doesn’t smell it on you and we will be fine.”

The man brought them drinks and the two kids started looking around. Angie could see a few pretty dames around, but most of them already had a date. She sighed taking a few sips of her drink, she could always find Lana-

“Wai!” She said, completely shocked by what - or rather, who - she was seeing.

Bucky Barnes was with a group of men, cigarette on his lips, resting his chin on a taller man’s shoulder and seeming utterly relaxed.

“What was it, Angie?” Steve asked a bit worried.

“Steve. I doubt that I’m already that drunk, so tell me, is that Buck?”

Steve turned around, paled.

“Oh my god, it is.”

Both of them took big gulps of their drinks and continued watching their friend with wide eyes. Bucky was danced and drinking and just being free. It was so weird, because they both had believed they knew their friend so well. And yet, the bartender told them James was a regular, that he came by every week or so and was very popular.

“Do we just go up there and say: Glad to see you’re of the deviant persuasion too?" Angie almost slurred perhaps a bit tipsy after finishing another glass of drink.

“Well, it sounds better than just screaming: Hey Bucky, we’re here and we are queer too. If you ask me.” Steve was completely wasted, resting his chin on the counter and not taking his eyes off Bucky. “I don’t wanna upset his date, though.”

Angie got up staring at him, very serious and determined.

“Steven Rogers, you stop acting so defeated! You go there and you tap that fine Bucky ass!”

There was a problem, though. Suddenly she realized things were unusually quiet. Her cheeks started burning hot, because everyone was looking at her, which meant Buck as well. Angie tried to keep her composure, but she wasn’t sure if she could face him right now. Steve had buried his face on his hands, almost dying of embarrassment.

From somewhere behind her she heard it at last.

“Stevie? Angie?” Bucky’s voice was trembling and so raw it hurt.

She turned to look at him, and her heart broke a little. He looked so lost staring at them, not happy like she and Steve had been, just confused. He wasn’t sober, but again she wasn’t really either.

“What are you two doing here?” He asked, stepping closer to them. Worried, because obviously his first response would be worry.

“The same as you.” Steve replied, being a little shit like he usually was, which made the mood lighter somehow.

Their friend blushed, looking down, and Angie couldn’t keep the smile from her lips. Things would be awesome now the three of them knew about each other. She pulled the taller man to sit between her and Steve, and the band begun playing again, the people decided to mind their own business. She was about to go on talking about how happy she was when Buck asked, voice tense.

“You’re not dating, then?”

“Nah. It was just something we told everyone so they would stop bothering us.”

“Everyone including me.” Bucky was obviously hurt by it. He looked away at the bartender. “Get me the strongest thing you have, just found out my two best friends have been lying to me for two whole years.”

“Come on, Buck. Don’t be like that.” Steve said, touching his friend’s shoulder.

Angie gulped and tried to explain it too. This was supposed to be a happy moment, not some sad bullshit.

“We were scared you were going to be disgusted at us, we didn’t wanna lose your friendship.”

“Till the end of the line.” He said, half sob half pout not looking at them and downing the glass at once. “I would've never turned my back on you.”

Angie felt dumb, drunk tears in her eyes as she leaned over and hugged him. Steve was there too his chin resting on top of Bucky’s head.

“We’re sorry, Buck.”

“I should be pissed at you, but I’m just so relieved that you guys won’t hate me for it.”

They hugged it out for a bit. Then she let go of them and smirked.

“Come on, you gotta take Stevie for a trial dancing. He’s almost decent now.”

Bucky looked over at Steve and smiled. The shorter of them blushed a bit and scratched the back of his head.

“I wouldn’t want to get in the middle of your date…”

“I guess he sort of gave up on it after I left him to cry with my friends. Besides, aren't you supposed to be tapping my ass by now?” His teasing was obviously flirting, but it worked and Steve arched an eyebrow.

“Is that a challenge?”

Angie rolled her eyes laughing.

“Just make sure I get myself a strapping gal before you two decide to fondue.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed it.  
> Please feel free to leave kudos, comments, or feedback!  
> (please do so, I wanna write more about this)  
> Kissus


End file.
